Midnight Eclipse
by punkgothicjackal
Summary: Midnight has always thought her brother, Roach, was dead. Until an enemy spills it out that he's in Emelan, training as a plant mage under the name of Briar Moss. Midnight and her friend Owl go to get him, to mind out they're mages, too.


A/N: I own Jeshickah, no one else as of yet. Ok, never mind. I own almost everyone in this chapter, except for T.P.'s characters.  
  
Midnight Eclipse  
by: punkgothicjackal  
  
Chapter 1: Midnight  
  
Midnight stood in the doorway of the gang's hideout, rain-soaked and in a damp mood. Her little brother.... what would he be doing now at the docks? She sighed, shaking her head. How many times had she told him not to get caught? Countless.  
  
Being the theif-lord, she came and went as she pleased, giving other's orders to follow at her every whim. She wasn't like most theif-lords, all of her orders were for the benefit of the gang, not just her.  
  
"Honored theif-lord Midnight," A boy called out, bowing low to her. "The Cobras 'ave been defeated!"  
  
Midnight smiled, a grim gesture she didn't use too often. "Very good, Panther!" She said, then addressed the entire den, "We will celebrate our claim of the Cobra territory! I say we go and nick from the Bags!" A cheer rose up as numerous bodies rose from grungy couches and poufs.  
  
"And remember," she called, her voice silencing the crowd. "Don't get caught!" Remembering her younger brother, she shook her head, her short, matted black hair spilling over her shoulders. That would amuse the gang for a while... she needed to be alone.   
  
"Roach, Roach, Roach... ya little..." She broke off, grinning. It had been two years ago this day when her insane little brother had been caught nicking some stuff from a Bag and sentenced to life at the docks. By the time anyone informed Midnight, he was gone, not to be seen ever again. It wouldn't surprise her if he was dead by a guard's hands. That was Roach for ya, getting himself in more trouble than he could handle and looking to her for help. Only she had failed him, once again.   
  
Jumping up, she ran outside, ready for something to take her mind off her baby brother. The rain still fell, but rain had never scared her off before. Besides, she was wide awake, as her name suggested. She was a night owl, never stepping foot into the sunlight.   
  
She smiled devilishly, successfully nabbing a Bag's purse. Stupid Bags. Didn't know what was coming.  
  
Which was just as well. Their money kept her gang fed and happy, lounging around by day and attacking by nightfall, a sort of nocturnal group. All of the gang had reversed sleeping habits like their beloved theif-lord, and that had saved them many times, getting them into trouble others.  
  
Any robberies done during the day couldn't be blamed on them, they were fast asleep with only one gaurd who wouldn't leave thier post except for death. However, if it was done at night, whether they did it or not, they were blamed. So it had it's advantages.  
  
Midnight blinked her large eyes, glancing around for any potential threat. Oh well, if there was any danger, she could always use a minor distraction to escape.  
  
Ravyn.   
  
The name ran through her mind only a few seconds after she could sense Ravyn's dark gaze. Turning, she smiled evilly. She had finally beaten her enemy.   
  
"Midnight." Ravyn said quietly, her eyes glittering mischeiviously. "You've won. You've beatin' my gang, and taken my territory. I must congradulate you."  
  
"Whatt're ya up to? You never hand out congradulations, Ravyn." Midnight began to circle the other girl, who kept her stance. "Oh, wait, I know what this is about. You want to join my gang. It isn't going to work, not until you admit I'm the best theif-lord under the Trickster."  
  
"Never!" Ravyn hissed, lunging towards Midnight. Midnight stepped out of the way casually, as if doing a dance. Yet, she had done this so many times it practically was. Within seconds she had out her own knives and attacked Ravyn, sending both of the girls into a muddled rage, clawing, cutting, tearing at each other, both receiving marks from themselves as well as each other.  
  
When it was over, Midnight stood, triumphant and strong. She would never fall to Ravyn. "Go crawl back to your sad excuse of a gang, Ravyn. It's been fun, but I really must leave. I have pressing matters to attend to." She gave Ravyn a good kick and turned to leave when a chilling voice reached her ears.  
  
"Roach is alive, Midnight. He's been alive for all this time. I was there when the Bag bought him, I saw it, and I enjoyed your useless suffering for letting your brother slip through your fingers." Ravyn laughed insanely, and Midnight felt a new surge of hatred for Ravyn bubbling within her, and once again the girls were caught in a scuffle.  
  
Midnight won, losing a knife in the process. The wound she gave Ravyn was deep and fatal, not what she had wanted, but affective, all the same.  
  
"Where is he, Ravyn?" She growled through clenched teeth. "Where the hell is my brother?"  
  
"I don't know." Ravyn moaned, her eyes filled with pain.  
  
"Yes, you do!" Midnight yelled, slamming Ravyn down. After all Ravyn had done, Midnight didn't feel sorry for her, unlike her normal victims. But then again, pity got you no where. Or at least, no where fast.  
  
"The Bag said something about Emelan." Ravyn murmered.   
  
Midnight let her drop to the ground, bloody and broken. "Very well, Ravyn. If I find out you are lying, you will have much more pain than this." She left Ravyn there, for her pets to deal with her.  
  
"Theif-Lord Midnight!" Owl stopped to rest next to her, panting. "If I may ask, where are you going?"  
  
Midnight stopped and considered Owl a minute, smiling yet again. "Owl, we are going to Emelan."  
  
"We?" Owl asked blankly. "As in- you and me?"  
  
"Yes. We must leave now. Where is Wolfpup?"   
  
"Over in the market." Owl looked at her theif-lord, wondering if she had gone insane.  
  
"Tell him he is in charge until I return."  
  
"Midnight?" She called hesitantly. Midnight turned to look at her warily, already tired from her fight with Ravyn. "Why are we going to Emelan?"  
  
"Roach is alive, Owl. I am going to get him back."  
  
Owl's eyes were wide, but she scrambled off to follow Midnight's orders.  
  
When she returned, Wolfpup was at her back, an annoyed expression on his face that matched Midnight's mood perfectly.  
  
"But you can't leave!" He said in his odd little voice, his eyes wide with distress. "Honored theif-lord, you cannot leave! Not after we defeated the Cobras!!! They're the toughest gang around.... and we beat them! We're on top of the theif food-chain!"  
  
"Wolfpup," she said calmly. "My brother is out there, somewhere in Emelan. Now get out of my way, or I will move you myself." He gulped and stepped out of her path, and she was thankful for that. She did not want to have to fight one of her own kind, or at least, not tonight.  
  
******  
  
The journey had taken a week, and finally on Moonsday Owl and Midnight arrived in Emelan. Going up to a street boy, she grabbed him by the collar of his rags. He let out a squeak and tried to fight her, much to Owl and Midnight's amusement. The theif-lord calmed him, saying she only wanted a few questions. If the boy had a place to run, he would have done so. However, he didn't, so he stayed put.  
  
"Do you know Roach?" She asked, wondering if Ravyn had been lying.  
  
"Roach?" The boy repeated. "Don't know no Roach. Sorry lady." Midnight caught him by the arm, pulling him back. She gave him Roach's description, and he nodded.  
  
"Yeah, the mage. Umm... he's at the temples." He tried to break her grip, but she wouldn't let him.  
  
"Mage?" she repeated. This boy was obviously drugged or something. Her brother was not a mage.  
  
"Yeah, he's a really famous mage!" The boy chirped, getting excited. "Do you want me to lead you to the temples?"  
  
"That would be nice." Midnight admitted, following the boy. Owl followed, still giggling at the little boy's honest enthusiasm.  
  
She followed the boy to the edge of what was defenatly a temple. She cocked an eyebrow, exchanging looks with Owl. The girl shrugged, leaving Midnight to wonder what Roach had gotten into now.  
  
"I would pay ya, kid, but I ain't got anything." She said, showing empty palms. The boy shrugged and ran off, leaving the two to walk catiously into the place.  
  
Owl sneezed, causing a woman in a blue habit to look up. Midnight backed up wearily, but Owl sneezed again.   
  
"Do you need something for that cold?" The woman asked pleasantly. Owl and Midnight didn't even need to discuss their plan; they both took off running.  
  
After an hour, their nerve came back to them, and they snuck in again. This time the dedicate was gone, which made all nervousness dissappear. It was soon replaced by longing, for there was a kitchen somewhere near.  
  
"Should we?" Owl asked. Here, Midnight insisted they look upon each others as equals, not master and pet.  
  
Midnight nodded. It was easy to nick food.   
  
They crept through the door, and before they even got five steps, someone had caught them.  
  
"Are you ladies looking for a midnight snack?" One of the kitchen boys asked. Owl's eyes became wide. Was someone actually offering to feed them.  
  
"What's your price?" Midnight demanded warily.  
  
"It's free. If I don't offer, Dedicate Gorse wouldn't be too happy." The boy smiled. "He's the cook here." Midnight nodded, still not taking her eyes off of him.  
  
They excepted the food- a full loaf of bread and some dumplings- and ran.   
  
"Did that just happen?" Midnight asked the out-of-breath Owl, who nodded.  
  
"Yes!" She said, lunging at a dumpling, and cramming into her mouth.  
  
"I'm going to go ask someone... if they've seen Roach." She said through a mouthful of bread. Owl nodded, eating another dumpling.  
  
Midnight headed towards the nearest building, which looked like a forge. She mustered up the courage to enter, finding three men having a conversation. One had greying black hair and, in her opinion, untrustable black eyes. The other was a red haired man (or what was left of it), with a wild red beard and a crimson habit. The third, she guessed, was a novice.   
  
The novice noticed her first, and said something to the black-haired one, who turned and looked at her.  
  
"I can only imagine what you are up to," He said, sounding amused. "Can we help you?"  
  
"Roach." She breathed, fighting the urge to turn and flee. She knew when to fight and when to run... and she didn't think she could fight all three of them.  
  
Something flickered in the man's eyes, and he smiled. She didn't know if that was a good sign or not, and it wasn't the best idea to test him.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow, Frostpine." He nodded to the other man and motioned for Midnight to follow him. Reluctantly following, only stopping for Owl to join them. Owl looked the man over, giving Midnight a searching look, but followed silently.   
  
When the man glanced back at them and was surprised to see Owl, the girl blinked, and for a moment Midnight thought she would say something.   
  
He led them to a little cottage, or at least, in her opinion it was, and up the walk. They were greeted by a dog, which just made Owl sneeze yet again. She was allergic to animals, along with plenty of other things.  
  
"I would beleive the 'Roach' you are looking for is here." The man said quietly, and Midnight nodded, not quite sure what else to do.  
  
The man entered, holding the door open for Owl and Midnight, who came in after much consideration.  
  
"Briar!" The man called, and Midnight gave him an odd look. Who was this 'Briar' he spoke of?  
  
A boy scrambled out of a room, and stopped. Midnight froze, herself. She heard Owl gasp. It really was Roach.  
  
"Midnight?" The boy asked. She nodded, her tounge stuck to the roof of her mouth. The boy came forward, hesitating, wondering if it was really his long-lost older sister. Suddenly, he threw his arms around the girl, and she was caught by surprise. She smiled her reckless grin, patting her brother on the head.  
  
"Nice to know you remember me." She said in her flat voice, though she couldn't keep her amusement hidden.  
  
"Why wouldn't I remember you?" He asked slyly. "Who else got really mad when I touched their precious bucket."  
  
Owl started laughing, only to stop by sneezing. Midnight glared at her. True, she wouldn't let anyone touch the water in that bucket.... it was her friend, and rediculous as it sounded, it talked to her.  
  
"I hear my pesky little kid brother has a new name." He nodded.   
  
"Yes, only cause of him." He gestured towards the man in the door, who wasn't paying any attention. "I'm now briar Moss.... hey, I guess that makes you Midnight Moss!"  
  
"I sound diseased." Midnight said, and Briar laughed.  
  
"I could have told you that a long time ago!" He teased, and she hit him playfully.  
  
"What's going on?" A girl's voice called from upstairs.   
  
"Nothing." Briar called back. "Hey Tris, Daja, c'mere a minute!"  
  
"Tris? Daja?" Owl repeated blankly.  
  
"My mates." Briar said. "Midnight, how exactly did you get here?"  
  
"Good question." A woman behind him said, making both of the girls jump, and Briar, turn to face her.  
  
"Midnight, Owl, this is my teacher, plant-mage Rosethorn." The girls nodded, not saying a word.  
  
"If I may ask, what are ya doin' with a plant mage?" Owl asked before Midnight could answer the question.   
  
"I'm a plant mage." Briar replied happily. Midnight raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Plant mage?" Owl confirmed. Owl was always nervous around mages.... they freaked her out.  
  
"What did you want?" A red-head and a tall girl both stood in the doorway, glancing at Owl and Midnight. "Great, more street rats."   
  
Owl muttered something that only Midnight picked up, nodding.  
  
"Why don't we take this into the kitchen. I would like to know what's going on." Rosethorn lead them into the kitchen.  
  
In the kitchen, Midnight told them why she was there, and how her and Owl had come all the way to find her brother, finally succeeding. She stopped when Owl suddenly declared, "What was that??"  
  
"What?" Briar asked, looking around.  
  
"The flash of silver.... it was pretty. It was like the silver I see whenever she starts talking to the water." Owl said ecstatically, and Midnight glared at her.  
  
"Do you think...?" Daja's voice trailed off, and Tris shrugged, looking at Niko.  
  
"I think so." He turned to Owl, who was quite confused by now. "Do you think you can see magic?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know," Owl shrugged. "Never thought much about it."   
  
"The flash of silver... do you only see it when she's talking to the water spirits?"   
  
Owl blinked, the slowly said, "No, I see it all the time when I'm cooking... which is rare, but I never think nothin' of it." Midnight smiled, remembering the one time they snuck into a Bag's house to nick food. Owl had been so caught up in the kitchen she went and baked seven cakes and a few loaves of bread, all to be carried off. She didn't care, she just liked the art.  
  
"We'll have to get her to Dedicate Gorse in the morning then." Rosethorn said, watching Owl carefully. She glanced at Midnight. "I beleive she said something about you talking to water? Does it talk back?"  
  
"Of course it would!" Midnight snapped. "I wouldn't do it if it didn't."  
  
"Then we need to find her a teacher, too." Niko said.   
  
"Teacher?" Midnight sputtered. "What?"  
  
"If I am correct, and I know I am, you are a water mage."   
  
"I am... excuse me?"  
  
"If we don't find you and your friend a teacher, one day your magic will get away from you, causing chaos."  
  
Great.... she thought. This guy is crazy.  
  
"Which reminds me," he added. "Since you two will be staying here, you need names."  
  
"I have a name." Owl said, slightly confused.  
  
"Yes, but I can't register you with the mage's council under the name of Owl."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"It wasn't your birthname, and you don't have a last name."  
  
He has a point there. Midnight thought. She shuddered to think of the name she was going to use... her original first name, along with her brother's new last name.  
  
Owl sighed. "Audra Owl. Happy now?" She grumbled, not willing to give up the name of Owl. Audra was her real name, and Midnight knew it. She had been there when Owl was first annitiated.  
  
"Very. And you?"  
  
Midnight took a deep breath. "Jeshickah."  
  
"Moss, I gather?" Niko smiled, and she nodded.  
  
A/N: That's the longest chapter I've ever wrote.... 


End file.
